HARTFORD — The Class S playoff picture is beginning to take shape, with Windham and Gilberto Torres right in the thick of things.

Torres' 4-yard touchdown run with 3:36 left and interception on the ensuing possession sealed the Whippets' 14-6 road win against Prince Tech on Saturday afternoon. Trailing the Falcons in the Class S playoff point standings before the game, Torres and Windham jumped to No. 5 in the class, improving to 7-1.

"Coming into this, [Prince Tech] was eighth in the rankings and we were ninth," Torres said. "We needed this win to get in the playoff picture [top eight]. That's our goal: get in the playoff picture and take it game by game."

The picture is a little less clear now for the Falcons, a playoff team the past two seasons who at 6-2 fall to No. 12, on the outside looking in with three games to go.

"We are still in the hunt, but with two losses you aren't going to get in on your own," Prince Tech coach Robert Rubin said. "We need help — we have to win out the rest of the way."

The nonconference foes both came in with dominant defenses, and it showed in a scoreless first half. The teams combined for six punts and two turnovers before the half, with Windham passing up a 21-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds of the second quarter and failing to convert on fourth-and-1 from inside in Prince Tech 5-yard line.

"In general, we are probably more of a touchdown-conscious team instead of a kicking team," said Windham coach Brian Crudden. "We thought we could punch it in there, My hat goes off to them; they defended that fourth-down play very well."

The teams were a combined 1-for-6 passing with two interceptions in the game.

The Whippets' rushing attack started firing on all cylinders in the third quarter. Windham took its first possession of the half 83 yards in 11 plays, all runs, grabbing a 6-0 lead on a 6-yard touchdown run by Joseph Santiago with 2:34 left in the quarter.

"It wasn't like we ran any fancy plays. We just ran our basic offense better as the game went on," Crudden said.

"I think our kids finally just stepped up and had to play," Rubin said. "It just took them a little longer to step up."

With the game and crucial playoff positioning on the line, Torres (20 carries, 94 yards) put the Whippets on his back. The senior running back had six carries for 27 yards on Windham's final drive, including the 4-yard go-ahead score. Quarterback Brody Labbe ran in the two-point conversion.

The Falcons had one final shot, but a pair of sacks forced Jordan Davis to toss a prayer on fourth-and-30 that was intercepted by Torres.

"As soon as I got it in my hands I knew that was it. Take a knee and we got the W," Torres said.